Walhalla Presbyterian Catches Fire

Around 100 firefighters  from 8 different stations responded to a fire that broke out inside Walhalla Presbyterian Church around 10:00 Saturday Morning collapsing the roof into the church sanctuary. Church organist Bill Weeks was in the church practicing for Sunday morning’s service, when he discovered the fire, and tried to douse it with an extinguisher, that apparently failed to operate. The fire was able to be contained within an just over an hour due to an aggressive transitional attack by what was mostly volunteer firefighters. Charlie King, Oconee Fire Chief, said the origin of the fire appears to have been the church attic possibly from the sound system. No injuries were reported and an assessment of the damages is still ongoing but is thought to be contained mostly to the roof and second floor of the church.